Student spotlights: Match Day celebrates accomplishments, dreams of the Class of 2023
Match Day 2023 is approaching fast! The event takes place March 17 in the gym in the Bryan Williams, M.D. Student Center and will reveal through the National Resident Matching Program where fourth-year medical students will serve their residencies. Read the inspiring stories of seven medical students who describe their UTSW experiences and goals for the future. A virtual stream will also be provided to those unable to attend.
From a student motivated at age 9 to search the internet for a cure for his two brothers’ life-threatening diseases to another inspired by her mother’s fulfilling work as a nursing assistant, learn about their passions and their relentless drives to succeed as future physicians.
Mahmoud Elguindy
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Specialty: Neurosurgery
Matched: UC San Francisco
“I’m incredibly excited and grateful to match at the top neurosurgery program – UCSF! This is a monumental moment for me, my family, and the amazing mentors who’ve supported me throughout my medical training. I look forward to starting this new journey, working with outstanding colleagues at UCSF, and continuing the UTSW tradition of excellence in all aspects of patient care.”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
My beginnings in medicine and science came as a 9-year-old boy, scouring the internet looking for a cure for my two older brothers who were battling life-threatening diseases. Most of my childhood was spent in and out of hospitals across the country helping to care for them. I witnessed the dedication of physicians and the impact they made to alleviate pain and suffering, and I wanted to continue their legacy of compassionate care. As an undergraduate, I immersed myself in biology and learned that fundamental research shapes medical progress and that so much remains unknown. I committed myself to a physician-scientist career in which I could both generate and apply knowledge to help patients and advance medicine.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
One big challenge that many students in the Perot Family Scholars Medical Scientist Training Program face is the transition from the M.D. to the Ph.D. portion of the program and then back to clerkships after a considerable gap in their medical training. M.D. and Ph.D. training are inherently different with respect to curriculum structure and work styles, and both require varying technical expertise. The UTSW faculty is approachable and dedicated (both on the research and medical fronts) to teaching and mentoring students. They provided constructive feedback, worked with me on my weaknesses, and highlighted my strengths to help me overcome this challenge.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
I was drawn to the outstanding basic, translational, and clinical research being done throughout various departments. What surprised me was how uniquely integrated and collaborative the research and medical communities are, such that multiple discoveries from the lab bench have been or are currently being translated into new and effective therapies for patients. UT Southwestern provides students with a unique and incredible clinical experience through multiple elite hospital systems with exposure to diverse patient populations and pathologies. I came to see how UTSW’s supportive and tight-knit community has built a legacy of providing the best care for patients while concurrently elucidating important research discoveries that have reshaped the future of medicine.
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
I look forward to pursuing my childhood passion of caring for patients and their families and furthering our understanding of the human brain and the diseases that afflict it. The clinical and research skills that I learned have provided me with the foundation to excel during residency and beyond on both clinical and research fronts, and I’m eager to add on to those skills. As a future physician and caregiver, I hope to demonstrate the values of compassionate care, lifelong learning, leadership in the medical and scientific communities, and advocacy for all patients.
Whitney Stuard
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Specialty: Ophthalmology
Matched: Wilmer-Johns Hopkins
“I am so excited and honored to have matched to Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute for ophthalmology! Match Day was wonderful, being surrounded by family, friends, and mentors. Seeing everyone’s excitement and life-changing moment was something I will always remember. I am eternally grateful for all of the opportunities and the education UTSW has provided me!”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
I have aspired to become a physician for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a family actively involved in both the educational and medical fields, I experienced firsthand the personal touch of education as well as the healing aspect of medicine. I believed that becoming a physician would allow me to make a positive impact on my community and utilize my passions for math and science. As a physician-scientist, I hope to be at the forefront of scientific innovation, treatment, and education to participate in both the current and future state of medicine.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
My greatest challenge was determining my passion within medicine and where I could truly make a difference. I was originally a traditional four-year medical student, but I elected to take a research year to investigate my interest in ophthalmology. I discovered that my passion for innovation complemented my interest in patient care, so I transferred (with the unwavering support of UT Southwestern Medical School) into UTSW’s Perot Family Scholars Medical Scientist Training Program to further develop my investigative skills. This journey led me to new mysteries waiting to be solved and solidified my resolve to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
At 17, I was accepted into the UT-PACT program, a seven-year B.A./M.D. program through UT Dallas and UT Southwestern. Two defining factors led me to UTSW. First, I knew I would get the strongest education possible because UT Southwestern is a leader in medicine across the U.S. and offers an expansive number of opportunities. The research, educational, and extracurricular activities allowed me to explore all my interests to become the physician I hope to be. Second, I knew from meeting members of the UTSW community that this was a school that would support me throughout my education. Having a strong support system and mentors who were invested in my success and growth were extremely valuable to me.
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
The depth and breadth of the ophthalmology field have always resonated with me. I look forward to learning more about ophthalmology pathology, surgical techniques, and technological advances. I am also excited to make new friends who share my interest in ophthalmology and learn from world-renowned faculty. I hope to bring my spirit of curiosity, dedication, and thirst for knowledge to residency so I can become the best physician-scientist possible for my future patients.
Fatou Sahor
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Matched: UT Medical School, Houston
“I’m excited for the future and so happy I got to celebrate with my family, friends, and faculty. I look forward to becoming a physician who cares deeply, works hard, and inspires positive change. Through my interactions with patients, I hope to make an impact on population health, especially on the issue of Black maternal mortality.”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
My mother is my inspiration to study medicine. I watched her transition from a certified nursing assistant (CNA) to an RN and then to a nurse practitioner, and I saw how satisfied she felt at the end of each day and the difference she made in her patients’ lives. She is my inspiration to study medicine, and the desire was cemented when I became a CNA myself. Throughout my various clinical experiences, I have seen how having or not having power can be a determinant of health, and I realized that health care should be a human right. I felt the best way to make a sustainable impact on health disparities is to become a physician myself.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
There are many ways to help people in conjunction with studying medicine. I have a broad array of interests, including public health, quality improvement, political advocacy, and community engagement, and it was hard to narrow my interests to one career path. By having diverse mentorship at UTSW and learning from people who have unique career paths, I was able to identify where I fit as I aspired to create a better quality of life for all.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
On my interview day at UTSW, I had the opportunity to interact with other minority students, Dawn Cureton, and Shawna Nesbitt, M.D., M.S., who created a personable, safe, and collegial environment – one in which I could envision myself. Both faculty and medical students were welcoming and so passionate about UTSW. And now I can say I understand why. UT Southwestern has an abundance of opportunities. If there weren’t someone already doing something I was interested in, I had the support and the resources to create my own path.
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
I am inspired by the tenacity of women. It’s exciting to be a part of the camaraderie it takes to deliver a baby and to experience the close relationship of trust that occurs among the patient, family, and medical team. I love that Ob/Gyn has a balance of clinical and procedural work, and I feel that there is an inherent role for activism that I plan to take part in. While there are many ways to advocate for human rights and health equity, I have chosen to further define my role by becoming a physician-activist in obstetrics and gynecology. I look forward to becoming a physician who cares deeply, works hard, and inspires positive change. Through my interactions with patients, I hope to make an impact on population health, especially on the issue of Black maternal mortality.
Ofelia Negrete Vasquez
Hometown: Kyle, Texas
Specialty: General Surgery
Matched: UT Southwestern
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my training here at UTSW. This place has become home for me over the past few years, a large part of who I am today. I can’t think of a better environment in which to continue learning and growing!”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
As a first-generation student with immigrant parents who worked in construction and housekeeping, I saw firsthand the importance of access to quality health care. My parents often struggled to navigate the health care system, and I knew I wanted to be a caregiver and advocate for people like them. This motivated me to seek opportunities within health care at an early age. Throughout college, I worked as a nursing aide at a local assisted living facility, supporting residents in bathing, feeding, and other activities of daily living. My passion for education and service permitted me to travel outside of my socioeconomic and ethnic boundaries and pursue a career in medicine.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
Attending medical school away from home has been one of my biggest challenges. My family has always been my support system, and being away from them has been difficult. I have missed important events in their lives and have had to rely on phone calls and FaceTime to stay connected. Despite the distance, I am grateful for the mentors I found in medical school. They have supported me like a second family, providing guidance and encouragement as I navigated the rigorous coursework and clinical rotations. Kareem AbdelFattah, M.D., and Lucia De Gregorio, M.D., have made a huge impact on my medical school experience and journey toward applying to general surgery. They have been a sounding board for my ideas and concerns and helped me develop my skills as a physician. They are also tremendous role models who have shown me what it means to be an excellent and compassionate doctor.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
UT Southwestern has an outstanding reputation, and I was drawn by the challenge of a rigorous and comprehensive education. The academic and clinical opportunities here are truly unparalleled. I knew training at UTSW would make me the most well-rounded physician, and these past four years have only reaffirmed that belief.
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
As I embark on my general surgery training, I am filled with excitement and anticipation for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I hope my community views me as a compassionate and dedicated physician who puts the needs of the patient first and is a role model for other women and minorities in the field. As a Hispanic female, I know that representation matters, and I am eager to be a visible leader in the field. I am excited to inspire other underrepresented groups to pursue careers in surgery and to break down barriers that have hindered diversity and inclusivity in the field.
Hiren Patel
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Specialty: Internal Medicine-Pediatrics
Matched: University of Illiniois College of Medicine, Chicago
“Match Day was even more exciting than I imagined! All of our hard work has paid off, and I am ecstatic to do the next chapter of my training in Chicago! It’ll truly be a day I’ll never forget!”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
My initial interest in medicine came from seeing my grandmother’s health decline as a result of Parkinson’s disease. Growing up, I always wanted to be able to help her more. Various additional experiences, including being an EMT in college, made me realize I had a calling to treat vulnerable populations and inspired me to be a physician.
Additionally, I am fascinated by the concept of a “birth lottery,” where the sheer reality of being born in one location versus another can shorten your life span or leave you without access to basic health care. Seeing the limited health care available to my family in rural India has made me want to make use of the resources I have to give back in whatever capacity possible to similar communities. This has been a motivating factor for me to pursue additional training in global health to do my part in increasing access to care locally and abroad.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
One of my challenges was pursuing my passions and global health interests during the pandemic. In the summer of 2020, I was preparing to travel to rural Uganda for a research project when it shut down because of COVID-19. Nonetheless, I knew gaining research experience and clinical exposure through global projects during medical school was crucial for me. With the help of my mentors, I found projects in Namibia, Saipan, and Ethiopia that I was able to work on remotely. I learned the tools and the sheer difficulty required to carry out projects with personnel from all over the world, preparing me well for further global health research and clinical pursuits.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
I chose UTSW for its outstanding opportunities and resources, along with its long-standing history of providing industry-leading care to the underserved populations of Dallas. I am grateful to be on the Global Health track, which allowed me six months of dedicated time and funding for my global health ventures. This past year, I was able to complete clinical rotations in Kenya and Honduras and presented my global health research in Singapore. The possibilities are truly endless at UT Southwestern!
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
I look forward to being the primary care provider and advocate for vulnerable populations – those with language barriers, limited access to health care, and low health literacy. With the nature of a dual internal medicine-pediatrics residency, I look forward to reaching the point where I’m comfortable treating any patient of any age in any setting. I’m ultimately excited to see what roles I can fill as a practicing physician and what corners of the world I’ll be able to impact!
Trey Cinclair
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Specialty: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Matched: UT Southwestern
“The atmosphere on Match Day was so exhilarating, and it was wonderful to be around family and friends again. I’m feeling incredibly lucky and honored to continue to serve our community with UTSW’s amazing Department of Plastic Surgery.”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
My parents instilled in me a duty to public service very early on. They often told me stories of how my grandfather immigrated to this country to complete his residency in pediatrics. He believed that compassion and education were the ultimate tools to serve his family and his community, and his example inspired me to pursue medical training. My passion for medicine continues to develop as I further my medical education and become better equipped to empower my patients to face challenges together. I am reminded of why I started this journey and thankful for those who have supported me along the way.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
A big challenge for me in medical school has been finding a balance between my interests and passions. UT Southwestern is an incredible institution that offers countless opportunities and resources to engage and support students, even those with the most unique pursuits. I was very fortunate to find close friends and mentors whom I could rely on to keep me grounded and focused on my priorities. Making them proud has been the greatest motivator for me to give my best every day.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
I was born in the old St. Paul Hospital. Being local to the DFW community, I knew I wanted to serve the community that had already given so much to me growing up. In addition, UT Southwestern was one of the few medical schools that gave me the opportunity to pursue a combined M.D./M.P.H. within four years. I found mentors here to be incredibly welcoming and supportive in helping me build my career.
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
I am most excited about connecting with patients and building longitudinal relationships. In plastic surgery, I can use my public health training to take a systems-based approach and more effectively advocate for my patients to get the best care possible. During the pandemic, we witnessed an intensified version of how medical information gets distributed and received by the public. We live in an age where access to information and misinformation has never been easier. I have become passionate about curtailing misinformation about plastic surgery and educating patients to critically analyze their options within a shared decision-making model. I would like the defining dogma of my career to be a leader who serves my communities loyally and equitably.
Angel Valencia
Hometown: Port Arthur, Texas
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Matched: UT Southwestern
“I am very grateful to have matched at UT Southwestern! The training program is excellent, and I know I will be surrounded by a great group of attending and resident physicians who will push me to be better every day.”
What does Match Day mean to you?
Why did you decide to become a physician?
My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Cotija de la Paz, Michoacán, Mexico, in the late ’70s and started a new life in Southeast Texas. Over the years, I saw them work hard to provide for me and my three siblings. Following their example, I trained tirelessly to reach collegiate soccer level, which opened doors of opportunity for me. Most importantly, this led me to pursue medical school because I felt very motivated to make a positive impact in my community. As a first-generation Mexican American, I knew I could utilize my bilingual background and cultural knowledge to better serve patients in areas with large Spanish-speaking populations. While I may never be done thanking my parents for all they have done for me, I am driven by my desire to honor them through my work as a physician.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?
As a former collegiate athlete, I was excited for the opportunity to focus all my energy on my education while in medical school. However, I quickly realized that medical school has many more avenues to pursue interests – such as research, mentorship, and community service – and I often felt overwhelmed with the pressure to excel in all the roles I served. Fortunately, I have fantastic mentors who taught me how to prioritize what matters most and to decide when to take on new projects or when to say no. This is an important lesson as I look forward to residency, where I will face another period of immense responsibility and will have to prioritize patient care and my training among my other interests.
What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?
During interviews, UT Southwestern was the only program with multiple events across two days where we were greeted by Medical Center leaders and current medical students. I felt the effort and investment they displayed were an indication of their dedication to deliver the best learning experience to their medical students.
I also knew of UTSW’s reputation for training excellent physicians. The resources and support for students to engage in patient care, research, innovation, and community outreach are unrivaled. Caring for a diverse patient population through clinical experiences at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and Parkland Memorial Hospital creates an excellent learning environment for students.
What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?
I hope my patients see me as a humble, kind, and dedicated physician who genuinely listens to them and puts their needs at the center of their care. Like many U.S. families, my family relied heavily on the income my parents generated through their jobs to provide food, security, and a stable home. Losing the ability to work can have a devastating impact on patients and their loved ones. As an orthopedic surgeon, I will utilize operative and nonoperative interventions to help patients recover from serious injuries so they can return to providing for their families and keep striving toward their goals.